Bars and restaurants in New York City

I'm off to the States tomorrow and will make a trip to New York with a mate for 2 days. I've been before a couple of times - just wondering if anyone can recommend any nice bars/pubs/resturants that aren't too touristy or expensive. Also, any other tips for a quick visit?
cheers

go to Brooklyn, have a nice Bagel in the fab bagel shop on Court St, walk up to the Last Exit bar on Atlantic Ave and have a couple of drinks, but don't get too tiddled
then walk back to Manhattan over Brooklyn Bridge
preferably when the sun is setting
that's what I'd do

*gets all nostalgic*

Go up the Empire State Building. Although I'm not sure what the queues are like these days

See also the related TT topic: New York City shopping tips

Cheers EB, but really i'm looking for more of what to do at night, ie local bars and clubs etc...

I went to a bar in Greenwich village once, I think it was Chumley's, that used to be a speakeasy. That was a good place.
Can't remember the exact address, though, and you won't find it by walking past, cos the door isn't marked or anything.
I quite liked it in there.

There's a really good mexican restaurant called Frida's on Amsterdam near 82nd street. They have great margheritas and really good food (try the shrimp fajitas). Then head over to Broadway and up a bit further towards 87th and there are a bunch of bars lined up.. more like pubs.

I don't know a lot about the chicky places, but these are all really fun. Sorry, don't know any of the bars specific names.

oh maaaan...I miss Brooklyn soo much.

One of my favourite restaurants in New York is Billy's, a steakhouse on the East Side (First Avenue at 52nd St.). It's the oldest
family-owned restaurant in NYC, I think it's been going strong for well over a century. It was practically around the corner from
where we lived so I have many, many fond memories of it - sigh!

or go to Katz's diner, where they filmed the orgasm scene in When Harry met Sally
that's a great place, actually - not touristy at all
I think it's on the lower east side, as well
a quick google will set you right

try zabars for cheap eats and fun foodie shopping. H&H for your morning bagels, and the bar at balthazar in soho for drinks! have fun!

You can basically find cool places anywhere, shitty places don't last long in NYC.

CBGB's

Does anyone have any more tips for bars / restaurants in Manhattan or Brooklyn?

I do have a couple of restaurants to recommend (came back from NY earlier this week) though nothing exotic, unfortunately, since my children don't like sushi, Indian cuisine, etc. (but I'm working on it). Let me try to dig out the addresses. Except for one they're all midtown (i.e. rather touristy, I guess), but food + service were excellent.

1. Lunella Ristorante, 173 Mulberry St. (between Grand & Broome Sts), Little Italy
I just read some of the reviews on TripAdvisor, and I see they range from "excellent" to "dreadful". All I can say is that we had an excellent meal and that I certainly didn't think we'd been ripped off. The front part of the restaurant is rather dark but the back room has a high glass ceiling so it's nice and bright.

2. Bond 45. This was the most expensive and probably the most touristy of the lot but the food was excellent. Great fish and seafood, and the tiramisù easily feeds two (it even says on the menu that it's "to share"). We went there early (7pm or so) and it was rather quiet (=very pleasant) but by the time we started demolishing said tiramisù the place was heaving and I found the noise level too high for comfort.

Funnily enough, they had a (s)light problem with their outside sign and I couldn't resist taking a picture (although I prefer jokes that are a bit more subtle). Taken from a moving car so it's quite blurred, but still legible...